Miniature motors of this kind are used for a variety of tasks, for example to drive miniature or subminiature fans; to drive pumps, for example in medical devices; as actuating motors, etc. Such a motor can have a weight, for example, in the range from approximately 50 grams to approximately 250 grams.
Because of their relatively low outputs, such motors are sensitive to contamination, such as can often occur, for example, in a washing machine; an effort is therefore made to arrange such motors in a sealed space so that no dirt can reach them. This applies in particular to motors that use a permanent-magnet rotor, since such a rotor attracts iron particles that can block or interfere with rotation of the rotor.
Small motors of this kind usually have a flange, which is also referred to as a support flange. It is usual to mount a motor of this kind by bolting its flange in place at the point where the motor is needed, for example, in order to lock a door. This requires, however, the creation of threaded holes or the setting of threaded rivets for bolt-on mounting, which is sometimes undesirable because such holes can result in weakening, and after a while can result in permanent breakage.